‘Human, you should help others’: how AI disclosure, message assertiveness, and AI anxiety shape consumer responses to AI-generated charitable ads

AI-generated advertisements have become increasingly prevalent, yet consumer reactions remain a critical area of investigation. Drawing on psychological reactance theory, this research examines how AI disclosure, assertive messaging, and AI anxiety jointly influence reactance, shaping attitudes towards charitable advertising and donation intention. Study 1 revealed a significant three-way interaction: for individuals with moderate to high AI anxiety, AI disclosure heightened reactance and reduced favourable attitudes towards non-assertive advertisements, whereas this effect was absent for assertive advertisements or low anxiety individuals. Study 2 replicated these findings with a larger sample and varied the degree of AI integration. Results confirmed the two-way interaction between AI disclosure and assertiveness, supported the three-way interaction with AI anxiety, and validated the mediating role of reactance through a moderated mediation model.